BHUBANESWAR: Two Assembly segments of Khurda and Begunia under Bhubaneswar parliamentary constituency have become a headache for three major players over different reasons.
While there are no takers for Congress tickets, the BJD and BJP seem to be treading cautiously before naming their candidates. The two principal rivals are closely watching each other’s moves.
It is a problem of plenty for both the BJD and BJP with multiple aspirants for tickets. Interestingly, the preference of majority of the aspirants is Khurda seat rather than Begunia despite the fact that the two constituencies are adjacent to each other and almost equidistant from the state capital.
The ruling BJD is in a quandary as its two sitting MLAs are lobbying for Khurda seat. While Jyotirindra Nath Mitra, the sitting MLA from Khurda is seeking renomination, Begunia MLA Rajendra Kumar Sahoo is trying hard to shift there. Sahoo who had won from Khurda twice in 2009 as an Independent and in 2014 on BJD ticket is stated to have given the impression to the party leadership that the chances of Mitra retaining the seat will be difficult in case BJP fields Chilika MLA Prasanta Jagdev from there.
A three-time MLA from Khurda, Mitra had joined BJP before 2014 election when the BJD denied him ticket and nominated Sahoo from the seat. Sources in BJD said, the chances of Mitra getting the ticket this time will also be difficult as he is facing some health issues. Vice-president of Khurda district unit Biju Mahila Janata Dal and former vice-president of zilla parishad Basanti Sahu is another aspirant for party ticket for Khurda seat.
On the other hand, Jagdev joined BJP on assurance that he will be nominated either from Begunia or Khurda. Even as the party is yet to take a call on the two seats, Jagdev seems more interested in Khurda much to the chagrin of Kalucharan Khandeitaray who had given a tough fight to Mitra in 2019 elections.
Khandeitaray better known as Kalu in BJP circles is in no mood to concede the seat to Jagdev. He had even gone for a show of strength at the state party office here shortly after Jagdev’s joining. He conducted a rally in Khurda on Monday with about 5,000 supporters. “The party is in a catch-22 situation after getting the message from Kalu that he will contest as an Independent if denied a ticket. Not to take any risk, the party has been persuading Jagdev to contest from Begunia which he had won on a BJD ticket in 2014,” informed sources in the BJP said.
However, Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi has queered the pitch by projecting Prakash Bijuli, one of her supporters with interest in estate business, for the Begunia seat.
Meanwhile, the Congress is likely to pitch Prithvi Ballabh Patnaik, son of former chief minister J B Patnaik, from Begunia which had elected his father in 2004.